Platform helps developers add Siri-like functions

Work & Lifestyle

Api.ai is a service that helps independent app and IoT developers integrate conversational functionalities to their products.

As the app industry expands, niche services for various components and functionalities are finding a place for themselves in the saturated market. We wrote about a platform that helps app developers maximize the utility of their smartphone sensor data. Recently raised USD 3 million in funding is Api.ai, a specialist in natural language tech that helps app and IoT developers add conversational functionalities to their products.

Clients are first asked to delineate categories their products fall into, along with the intents of their desired function — this is the connection between a user’s input and the action the application performs. They will then be presented with a list of existing functionalities related to those categories — if a developer wants to add voice actions to a calendar app, the service would know to direct them to the Mobile Apps domain, and present a list of existing components that can be embedded. Developers can also describe their own interactions and scenarios, and integrate functions such as voice recognition, natural language processing, and text-to-speech. Api.ai currently works with platforms including SDKs for iOS, Android, web, Python, Unity and more, and it is available in 14 languages.

Clients can sign up for free and receive access to tools and unlimited help through phone calls, or opt for an enterprise account to get a more encompassing service. What are some other niche services that can take advantage of the fostering app industry?